Archives for March 2013

The El Kadir Shrine Club hosted the Kirksville City Council candidates forum last night. Four of the five candidates participated in the public event to inform voters of their stances. The candidates running for council on April second are Brandon Athon, Randall R. Bacon, Richard Detweiler, Glen Moritz and Richard Green- who was unable to attend last night’s forum.

The first question of the night asked each candidate what they feel the roles of a council member and the council itself are. First up is candidate Brandon Athon.

Now Randall R. Bacon.

Richard Detweiler.

And Glen Moritz.

Candidates were next asked what they believe the council should do to help area college students during their term. First is Brandon Athon.

Randall Bacon.

Richard Detweiler.

And Glen Moritz.

The candidates were also asked their thoughts on the issues of commercial development along Highway 63 and the wastewater treatment plant bond issue on the upcoming ballot. All candidates answered with support of the two issues and believed there should be further development along 63 and the bond issue should pass, allowing for repair and further maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant.

The 2013 SKYWARN Storm Spotter Training Program will be held Wednesday, March 27th at 7 p.m. at the Rehoboth Baptist Church in Kirksville. This training is open to everyone. Organizers ask that no food or drinks be brought to the site.

She’s been convicted of arson and served her time, but Former Kirksville Mayor Debbie Masten is continuing to appeal her case. An 8th Circuit Court panel has granted a “certificate of appealability” on her conviction for setting her own business on fire in 2007, based on her claims that her right of due process was violated when the prosecution failed to produce the original copy of the VHS surveillance tape. Instead prosecutors only provided her attorney and the jury DVD copies, which Masten claims may not have been as accurate as the original VHS tape. In her appeal, Masten says the jury could have found her not guilty had they seen the original tape.

MoDOT says road conditions are going to be variable much of the morning, as overnight wind blew snow back across many routes cleared yesterday. Elizabeth Wright, MoDOT’s State Maintenance Engineer, says even on routes where driving lanes are clear, you should be aware that ramps and bridges may still need attention. Lettered and numbered routes with lower traffic volumes may remain partly covered through today, although crews have made at least one pass on all state routes.

Stay informed about Missouri road conditions by using MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map, available online at www.modot.org or through the free new smartphone app. You can zoom in to a particular location, check live weather radar and view images from MoDOT’s traffic cameras.

A crash in Knox county injured a Hurdland woman.Troopers say the crash happened about 5:30 yesterday morning, on Route B west of Hurdland. Barbara Hocker was eastbound and missed a curve. She drove a 1998 Chevy S-10 pickup into a field access drive, but was able to keep the truck from rolling. She was taken by ambulance to Northeast Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries. Hocker was alone in the pickup.

The Adair County Humane Society and vet clinics are participating in the “Prevent a Litter” program throughout March to promote responsible pet ownership and spay and neuter programs to reduce the number of homeless animals.

Adair County Humane Society Board Member Bridget Thomas,says this is the fourth year the shelter has participated in the program. She said during late February the shelter hands out certificates to reduce the cost of getting a pet spayed or neutered. The money for the certificates comes from grants and donations and not the shelter funds, Thomas said. Thomas said in addition to the certificate, participating vet clinics reduce their spay and neuter rates during March. Prevent a Litter occurs during March because it is when the animals start looking for mates.

Macon County’s largest Easter egg hunt will be held at Church WithOut Walls in Atlanta on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 11 A.M. Children of all ages are invited to attend including teenagers and adults. The grand prize for the children’s division will be a bicycle. There will be a division for teenagers including prizes like iTunes cards. An “adult division” will also take place: Parents and supporters of the younger hunters will be competing for two gas cards prizes. More than 5,000 eggs and goody bags will be scattered throughout the yard at 619 S. Williamson in Atlanta.

First day of spring, and, just maybe some of the welcome signs of spring aren’t far off:

Green shoots and flowering trees and bulbs promise warmer weather ahead. Unfortunately, other sights during spring aren’t so welcome, such as litter along roads and highways, in our communities and in our outdoor spaces. You can help fight litter in Missouri through the state’s annual No MOre Trash! month-long Trash Bash in April.

The Trash Bash is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) as part of their ongoing No MOre Trash! statewide anti-litter campaign. The annual Trash Bash encourages people to clean up litter all across Missouri, from roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, streams, trails and other places. Trash Bash activities in April also include educational efforts in schools, at highway rest areas, and through community events, Earth Day celebrations, media promotions and more.

About a dozen Kirksville firefighters were at last night’s City Council meeting, as their union’s disagreement with the city’s latest contract offer boiled over into public discussion. The city and fire union negotiators have only met three times since negotiations on a new contract started last August; there had been consideration of imposing a new arrangement on firefighters if negotiations remained stalled. Local 2952 President Jeremy Davis:

The decision by the council last night to extend the current contract, which has been in effect since 2009, was unanimous. No word yet on when another negotiating session is planned.

At this afternoon’s study session, Kirksville City Council members will discuss what the city is doing to help residents shelter during severe weather.

At this moment, there are no formally-designated community shelters in Kirksville. Building one would be expensive, but city leaders will hear tonight about a proposed partnership with Northeast Regional Medical Center that would create a community shelter without having to build one. Northeast Regional officials have offered the hospital’s basement as a shelter for those who don’t have one. That space can be accessed 24/7 if a shelter is needed. Fire Chief Randy Behrens will give the council more details on the proposal during the study session, which starts at 4:30 this afternoon.